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Scale

Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
Just think, we humans are on one planet orbiting one star in one galaxy.

Makes you think about what all the other galaxies contain:

[IMG]http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1210/xdf_hubble_1280.jpg[/IMG]

(NASA APOD - Hubble Deep Field)

Comments

  • Lord RefaLord Refa Creepy, but in a good way
    Bacon?
  • Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
    Spaceballs?
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    Obviously, cheese!! :D
  • C_MonC_Mon A Genuine Sucker
    Nothing! We're all alone in this big empty darkness.
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    All that vast universe....and we're the ones stuck with RC!
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    [quote]Ellie: Dad, do you think there's people on other planets?
    Ted Arroway: I don't know, Sparks. But I guess I'd say if it is just us... seems like an awful waste of space.[/quote]

       
  • Entil'ZhaEntil'Zha I see famous people
    IIRC that line is only in the movie, not the book, but I liked the movie anyway....
  • WORFWORF The Burninator
    It must have been about two years ago, I read that we had detected light from a galaxy so far away, the Universe was less than a billion years old when it was emitted.

    I couldn't help wondering about all the things that light must have travelled near on it's way here. It also made me want to go to that galaxy and see what was there.

    Stupid technology, I want a starship so I can go exploring!
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    Never a Vulcan around when you need one.
  • Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
    One question that has always perplexed me: if we see light from something 1 billion years after the universe was born (about 13 billion years ago) at 0 degrees and the same at 180 degrees, then we are seeing 26 billion years width, and yet the universe is only 13.75 billion years old, plus or minus a little. Further, let us assume for a moment that we are simply seeing 13 billion years out and that due to expansion of the universe, it should be visible. Does this mean we are at the center of the universe? I find that statistically unlikely.
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    We are only at the center of the sphere of the visible universe. I don't believe we actually know what lies beyond that. That's why some astrophysicists talk about multiverses, not to mention other dimensions. This is usually where most people's brains switch to maintenance mode and go do something else. :D
  • Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
    Actually, multiple dimensionality is most reflected in superstring theory, which I happened have done an undergraduate research project on :)
  • FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
    Always reminds me of [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buqtdpuZxvk"]this.[/URL]

    Jake
  • C_MonC_Mon A Genuine Sucker
    [QUOTE=Random Chaos;196288]One question that has always perplexed me: if we see light from something 1 billion years after the universe was born (about 13 billion years ago) at 0 degrees and the same at 180 degrees, then we are seeing 26 billion years width, and yet the universe is only 13.75 billion years old, plus or minus a little. Further, let us assume for a moment that we are simply seeing 13 billion years out and that due to expansion of the universe, it should be visible. Does this mean we are at the center of the universe? I find that statistically unlikely.[/QUOTE]
    I don't think you can say that if it's 13 billion years one way and 13 billion the other way that it would ad up to 26, I think it just means that light from those directions are 13 billion years old. Maybe it has something to do with how we need to think of the big bang. It didn't happen in the center relative to us, but it happened all around us.
    But I have no degree in astrophysics and similar stuff, so just take these answers as guesses. :)
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    RC: that distance is just the horizon of the visible universe. There is no real way of knowing how big the universe actually is, nor where we lie in it.
  • Dood, why you posting pictures of my playground?!
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Because of the limitation of the speed of light, we will only ever be able to see the distance out equivalent to the age of the universe minus about 300,000 years.

    This limitation is NOT on the expansion speed of the universe though.

    M theory allows for the existence of time up to and prior to the Big Bang event. It also solves the problem of "Something from nothing" which has plagued the Big Bang theory from the beginning.

    The collision of two or more membranes implies a transfer of energy, matter between universes/dimensions (for lack of a better term) rather than the creation of such out of nothing.

    To me though, with the 11 dimensions, the close proximity of all points in the universe to each other within trillionths of an inch, the implications of what Dark Matter and Dark Energy are become clear.

    And why Gravity is such a weak force compared to the others.

    I think the biggest new item will be how singularities (Black Holes) act upon these other dimensions.

    I suspect that they are leaking their trapped material into these other dimensions, and this is the source of Dark Matter for example, material trapped in a Hyperspace like environment.

    Maybe this is how they evaporate... :p
  • Entil'ZhaEntil'Zha I see famous people
    Yeah, what JackN said!
  • WORFWORF The Burninator
    [QUOTE=ShadowDancer;196295] There is no real way of knowing how big the universe actually is, nor where we lie in it.[/QUOTE]

    False.

    I am clearly the center of the universe.
  • Yeah, multiverse theory! I'm gonna go slap the Lady of Pain!
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZiROWO6iVs"]Baby universes.[/URL] That sounds so cute! :D
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    [QUOTE=JackN;196297]
    I think the biggest new item will be how singularities (Black Holes) act upon these other dimensions.

    I suspect that they are leaking their trapped material into these other dimensions, and this is the source of Dark Matter for example, material trapped in a Hyperspace like environment.

    Maybe this is how they evaporate... :p[/QUOTE]

    Actually I've suspected that might be the case for a while too, although I doubt it will be any sort of hyperspace that would permit travel
  • my idea was always that we are allready in a singularity in a black hole from anouther universe. mind numbing speculation will drive you nuts.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    That's why the Nuts are all over the place here... ;)
  • ShadowDancerShadowDancer When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie." London, UK
    And lets face it, even if we weren't nuts already we wouldn't have far to go! ;)
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    [QUOTE=ShadowDancer;196307]Actually I've suspected that might be the case for a while too, although I doubt it will be any sort of hyperspace that would permit travel[/QUOTE]

    Heh, I was just reading Ringworld's Children again and came across the Dark Matter in Hyperspace" idea...

    Guess I know where I got my idea.... :s Hate it when I find out I didn't have an original idea.

    Niven has really quick predators that live in hyperspace and will gobble ships who jump too close to gravity wells where dark matter is clumped more...

    :p
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